There are many ways you can support the fight against Parkinson’s. Whatever form your gift takes, you can be confident that it goes toward providing crucial resources for those affected by this disease.

You are here

Make the System Work for You

Once you have read and synthesized the legal, financial and insurance aspects of living with Parkinson's disease outlined in earlier sections, it is important to take a step back to make sure that these rights and benefits work for you.

This concluding section will help you do the following:

Take an honest, consistent, big picture approach which can help you maximize your legal rights, financial resources and the protection proper planning can provide to you and your loved ones.

Complete a thorough and ongoing self-assessment in writing. You need a written plan and it should be updated periodically.

Coordinate with your health care team to document your eligibility for various benefits. It is also vital that information about your status and prognosis be communicated by your health care team to your financial and legal advisers. This information is essential to properly budgeting, investment and creating appropriate estate planning documents and more.

Determine whether you need professional help to assess your legal rights and related financial concerns. If it is possible to secure professional help it is always advisable to do so. It is difficult if not impossible to be objective about your personal circumstances. Every professional you involve in your planning will add an element of objectivity which may be vital. Cost is often a factor that dissuades many people from seeking professional guidance. However, with preparation and careful use of professional advisers you can often do so in a cost efficient manner. Most professionals that bill hourly will give you guidance as to what to do to make the most efficient use of their time, and your financial resources. If they won’t go elsewhere. For example, a CPA may offer you tax and financial planning for less cost if you better organize your records in advance. If your all your financial transactions are recorded on a robust financial software program such as Quicken, it may take far less processional time to guide you. To prepare estate planning documents, if you prepare a detailed organizer your attorney provides in advance of the meeting that may reduce the costs of the meeting.